July 15, 1997
Children in a grade school crowded around their new school mascot, a furry little hamster. One asked the teacher if it was a boy or a girl. The teacher didn’t know. The children hotly debated the question until finally, one little fellow thought he had the solution. He said, “I know. Let’s vote on it.”
This amusing story is harmless because the children will soon learn that taking a poll does not change a hamster’s gender. However, what happens when we make vital decisions based on opinion polls rather than on established facts?
One example might be the trial of a person for a murder he did not commit. A decision must be made whether or not the suspect committed the crime even though innocence is already a fact. But if innocence cannot be defended with solid evidence, the suspect’s fate is left in to the opinion of a judge or jury.
All too often, spiritual matters are likewise tried in the courts of popular opinion. Consider statements like: “The Bible? Nobody believes that anymore.” Or “Christianity is just old-fashioned and not very popular.” Or “None of my friends believe in God so why should I?”
In polling Americans to find out their beliefs, results consistently show that about 85% of Americans and Canadians consider themselves to be Christian. The biblical definition of a Christian is someone who knows God, trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, and believes the Word of God. That is, Christians put their faith in what God says rather than in the opinions of people.
Being a Christian is a fact-issue. A person either believes God or they don’t. Yet another poll reveals that some of those 85% may have the wrong opinion of themselves. This poll asked questions about spiritual matters to those who claim to know God. Some were: Can a person who does good earn a place in Heaven? Is Hell an actual place or a state of separation from God? Is Satan a living being or a symbol of evil? Was Jesus actually resurrected from the dead?
In this poll, 57% said they think people who do good can earn a place in Heaven. In contrast, Scriptures say the opposite: “For it is by grace you are saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2).
Of course God wants everyone to do good, but the Bible makes it clear that not one person’s life measures up to God’s standard for heaven. If we want to have eternal life, He offers only one way to get it—through faith in Jesus. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one can come to the Father but by me.”
Those who entrust their eternal destiny to Christ are given His life and a new nature, out of which comes the ability to do the kind of good deeds that please God. Apart from Christ, whatever we call good cannot earn us a place in Heaven.
Another question in the poll asked people if they believe Jesus rose from the dead (as if such a monumental event could be decided by opinion). Despite evidence from Scripture, the testimonies of key witnesses, and other historical records, 45% of people interviewed believe that Jesus was not resurrected.
What if that had been a 100% decision against it? Or for that matter, a 100% vote for it? Would either one determine whether it happened or not?
Public opinion is not always reliable because many people do not always make decisions based on facts or a thorough examination of the evidence. In this case, everyone needs to examine the record and claims of Christ as they would a case in a courtroom. This is a vital issue that concerns eternal destiny and should not be left to public opinion but given serious investigation.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Monday, March 13, 2017
The greatest technology ................ Parables 561
(?)
One family member is suspicious of technology and assumes it has some vague connection to a massive super power. He shies away from using the Internet, even using computers.
Regardless of those who hold back, communication technology is here to stay. Perhaps it started with Gutenberg’s printing press, invented over five hundred years ago for the mass reproduction of books. This technology revolutionized the way people communicate and learn.
In a few generations, we have seen other amazing changes in communication methods. Our grandparents used fence phones; we have call-display cellulars. Our parents understood Morse code; our children understand satellite conference calls, complete with large-screen video displays of those in attendance. Communication technology changes so rapidly that even experts struggle to keep on top of the latest inventions.
In another segment of this vast field, the Internet is now reported to draw hordes of consumers away from their television sets. Some are predicting that digital broadcasting soon will replace television systems around the world. They back up their claims with surveys that show many people prefer to be on the Internet rather than watch the tube.
Others claim the ‘Net is just a novelty that will wear off’ but maybe they need to think again. In 1943, Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, reportedly said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” He had to eat his words. This technology is here to stay, at least until something new is invented.
Changes and growth in our technology is awesome yet God has a system that is more amazing. He offers us a means by which we can connect with Him that has never been declared obsolete and anyone can use it with very little instruction. Further, no matter where we are or what condition we are in, we are still able to communicate with Him.
Yes, prayer is never outdated or upgraded. It provides an instant link with the One who hears and answers our pleas. He understands it, whether we speak in English, French, Chinese, Russian or any other language. He hears us when we offer our words in silence, from the heart.
Prayer is also instantly translated into the correct request. Romans 8 explains, “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. . . the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
Genesis records the first instance in the Bible of man talking to God when Adam offers his excuse for why he was hiding from Him. The last prayer is the closing verse at the end of the Bible that says: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”
In between these utterances, the history of man’s sin and the story of God’s grace and redemption can be traced in the prayers of His people; prayers of contrition and confession, of pleading and complaining, of submission and also praise.
God remains in the business of hearing and answering prayer. My prayer journal is a personal reminder that He does what seems impossible to me, even that He takes time to hear (never mind grant) the requests I place before Him.
Book lovers know books will never be obsolete and radio and television have their usefulness. We value our computers (but don’t curl up in an easy chair with them) and the Internet provides a wealth of information, saving many trips to the library. Yet none of these can match the timeless efficiency and value of prayer. It is a marvelous “technology” from God that is in a class all by itself.
One family member is suspicious of technology and assumes it has some vague connection to a massive super power. He shies away from using the Internet, even using computers.
Regardless of those who hold back, communication technology is here to stay. Perhaps it started with Gutenberg’s printing press, invented over five hundred years ago for the mass reproduction of books. This technology revolutionized the way people communicate and learn.
In a few generations, we have seen other amazing changes in communication methods. Our grandparents used fence phones; we have call-display cellulars. Our parents understood Morse code; our children understand satellite conference calls, complete with large-screen video displays of those in attendance. Communication technology changes so rapidly that even experts struggle to keep on top of the latest inventions.
In another segment of this vast field, the Internet is now reported to draw hordes of consumers away from their television sets. Some are predicting that digital broadcasting soon will replace television systems around the world. They back up their claims with surveys that show many people prefer to be on the Internet rather than watch the tube.
Others claim the ‘Net is just a novelty that will wear off’ but maybe they need to think again. In 1943, Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, reportedly said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” He had to eat his words. This technology is here to stay, at least until something new is invented.
Changes and growth in our technology is awesome yet God has a system that is more amazing. He offers us a means by which we can connect with Him that has never been declared obsolete and anyone can use it with very little instruction. Further, no matter where we are or what condition we are in, we are still able to communicate with Him.
Yes, prayer is never outdated or upgraded. It provides an instant link with the One who hears and answers our pleas. He understands it, whether we speak in English, French, Chinese, Russian or any other language. He hears us when we offer our words in silence, from the heart.
Prayer is also instantly translated into the correct request. Romans 8 explains, “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. . . the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
Genesis records the first instance in the Bible of man talking to God when Adam offers his excuse for why he was hiding from Him. The last prayer is the closing verse at the end of the Bible that says: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”
In between these utterances, the history of man’s sin and the story of God’s grace and redemption can be traced in the prayers of His people; prayers of contrition and confession, of pleading and complaining, of submission and also praise.
God remains in the business of hearing and answering prayer. My prayer journal is a personal reminder that He does what seems impossible to me, even that He takes time to hear (never mind grant) the requests I place before Him.
Book lovers know books will never be obsolete and radio and television have their usefulness. We value our computers (but don’t curl up in an easy chair with them) and the Internet provides a wealth of information, saving many trips to the library. Yet none of these can match the timeless efficiency and value of prayer. It is a marvelous “technology” from God that is in a class all by itself.
Friday, March 10, 2017
I Am What I Am! ................ Parables 560
June 24, 1997
While mutually admiring a photograph of the Rockies, seven-year-old Levi told me he loves being in the mountains. I asked this little lad, “When you stand looking up at them, do they make you feel small?”
He said, “No, I already know I am small.”
The so-called negative realities of life are sometimes difficult for most people to accept. Some “vertically challenged” adults buy shoes with lifts or wear clothes with vertical stripes, anything to appear taller. Two shoe salespeople have related that customers came in insisting they wear shoes two sizes smaller than the pair that fits them. Both clerks admitted scratching off the number and putting the proper-sized shoes in the wrong box, just to make the sale. They understood that these customers are not prepared simply to state the facts and live with them. Perhaps that is why remarks like Levi’s make us say, “Out of the mouths of babes. . . .”
Accepting undesired, unchangeable features is a challenge for many people. Too often we think we should be taller, or slimmer, or have smaller feet, or that our bodies must conform to the vogue in Hollywood or the criteria of New York modeling agents.
That our outside shape dictates our value seems to be an old problem. Somewhere around 1050 BC, the people asked one of God’s prophets to anoint for them a king. He picked Saul. The Bible says Saul was “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the others.”
Saul also impressed the prophet but after a few years, that same prophet had to boot him from office. This “impressive” king had not kept the commands the Lord God gave him so his tenure as king was over. God asked the prophet to anoint another man.
This time he was directed to a family with several sons. When he saw the height and appearance of the first one, he said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here . . .” but God told him “No.” He added, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Because we see the outside first, we often make evaluations on only that. If a person’s appearance conforms to our idea of good, favorable, well-shaped, lovely, well-muscled, or whatever other measurement we use, then we accept the person. In other words, if “short” is in then Levi will not have a problem with his peers, but if tall is popular, he will be ostracized for being small for his age.
Thankfully, God does not look at Levi or anyone else with those measurements in mind. Instead, He looks for an honest heart, one that will admit that the standards of this world are not reliable. They change from culture to culture, from year to year but God’s standards never change.
For that reason, the Lord looks for people who can say, “Yes, I may be short (if shortness is their particular issue) but I also fall short. I cannot measure up to the standards of God and I know that I need a Savior. I need God’s forgiveness and His help so that I can become all that He wants me to be.”
God also says, “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD. . . .”
An addition seems appropriate: “Let not the tall, handsome lad boast in his appearance...” Levi, small and ordinary, displays extraordinary humility. He has already taken a giant step towards pleasing God.
While mutually admiring a photograph of the Rockies, seven-year-old Levi told me he loves being in the mountains. I asked this little lad, “When you stand looking up at them, do they make you feel small?”
He said, “No, I already know I am small.”
The so-called negative realities of life are sometimes difficult for most people to accept. Some “vertically challenged” adults buy shoes with lifts or wear clothes with vertical stripes, anything to appear taller. Two shoe salespeople have related that customers came in insisting they wear shoes two sizes smaller than the pair that fits them. Both clerks admitted scratching off the number and putting the proper-sized shoes in the wrong box, just to make the sale. They understood that these customers are not prepared simply to state the facts and live with them. Perhaps that is why remarks like Levi’s make us say, “Out of the mouths of babes. . . .”
Accepting undesired, unchangeable features is a challenge for many people. Too often we think we should be taller, or slimmer, or have smaller feet, or that our bodies must conform to the vogue in Hollywood or the criteria of New York modeling agents.
That our outside shape dictates our value seems to be an old problem. Somewhere around 1050 BC, the people asked one of God’s prophets to anoint for them a king. He picked Saul. The Bible says Saul was “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the others.”
Saul also impressed the prophet but after a few years, that same prophet had to boot him from office. This “impressive” king had not kept the commands the Lord God gave him so his tenure as king was over. God asked the prophet to anoint another man.
This time he was directed to a family with several sons. When he saw the height and appearance of the first one, he said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here . . .” but God told him “No.” He added, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Because we see the outside first, we often make evaluations on only that. If a person’s appearance conforms to our idea of good, favorable, well-shaped, lovely, well-muscled, or whatever other measurement we use, then we accept the person. In other words, if “short” is in then Levi will not have a problem with his peers, but if tall is popular, he will be ostracized for being small for his age.
Thankfully, God does not look at Levi or anyone else with those measurements in mind. Instead, He looks for an honest heart, one that will admit that the standards of this world are not reliable. They change from culture to culture, from year to year but God’s standards never change.
For that reason, the Lord looks for people who can say, “Yes, I may be short (if shortness is their particular issue) but I also fall short. I cannot measure up to the standards of God and I know that I need a Savior. I need God’s forgiveness and His help so that I can become all that He wants me to be.”
God also says, “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD. . . .”
An addition seems appropriate: “Let not the tall, handsome lad boast in his appearance...” Levi, small and ordinary, displays extraordinary humility. He has already taken a giant step towards pleasing God.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Never Alone ................ Parables 559
June 17, 1997
“I’m working alone today.”
“But you are never alone.”
“That’s right. I am by myself, but I am never alone!”
A friend and I say this many times to each other because loneliness is a universal experience. No one enjoys it but we all experience it. We reassure each other because we know that, even if there is not another human being for miles, we are still in the presence of the Lord.
Being with others has obvious benefits. For example, Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one, because . . . if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”
Aside from being without friends or being in situations where we are all alone, a person does not have to be friendless or by themselves to feel lonely. Loneliness is such an odd condition; we can feel it in a large crowd or even with our family or closest friends near us and caring for us.
What causes this strange longing in our hearts? I’ve heard three similar explanations. One was from evangelist Billy Graham. He says that whenever we feel lonely in a crowd, we need to consider that as God’s way of beckoning us to come and spend time with Him. He says we feel lonely in a crowd because we all need and yearn for a deeper relationship with our Creator.
The second explanation came from a writer from England. He says we feel lonely because we are designed to live in a different world than the one we are in. He says we long for God and for heaven’s perfection. For that reason, there is really nothing that can fully satisfy us here on earth. We can enjoy a measure of contentment but it will never last. We call that sense of longing “loneliness” because we fail to recognize its deeper significance. It is a reflection that God has “placed eternity in our hearts.”
The third explanation is much the same. It is from a college professor who says we should never try to cure our loneliness because it is our longing for God and for our eternal home. We simply need to learn to live with it and with the reality that this world is not permanent or perfect.
These three slightly different views have much in common. They agree that loneliness has more to do with wanting to be near God than it does with wanting to be close to people. If that is the case, then it is vital to do what some Christians call “practicing the presence of God.”
In my experience, that sense of being in the Lord’s presence is sometimes very vivid. During those times, it is of little concern whether or not people are around to keep me company. Yet there are times when the sense of His presence is heightened when His people are together. In either case, it seems to depend on my own relationship with God and attitude toward Him.
At other times, that sense of His nearness has faded. He seems absent. During those occasions, I have to remind myself of His promises. God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Just because it seems to me that He is not with me, He is. I cannot rely on my feelings.
It is possible to practice His presence though. By that, I mean we can heighten our sense of God being with us. To do that effectively, we need to do what Jesus did. He often retreated from His hectic life-work, and from people, to talk with His Father. “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Secondly, Jesus continually affirmed that God was with him. He said, “You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me . . . The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone . . . .”
We need to remember that He has not left us alone either.
“I’m working alone today.”
“But you are never alone.”
“That’s right. I am by myself, but I am never alone!”
A friend and I say this many times to each other because loneliness is a universal experience. No one enjoys it but we all experience it. We reassure each other because we know that, even if there is not another human being for miles, we are still in the presence of the Lord.
Being with others has obvious benefits. For example, Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one, because . . . if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”
Aside from being without friends or being in situations where we are all alone, a person does not have to be friendless or by themselves to feel lonely. Loneliness is such an odd condition; we can feel it in a large crowd or even with our family or closest friends near us and caring for us.
What causes this strange longing in our hearts? I’ve heard three similar explanations. One was from evangelist Billy Graham. He says that whenever we feel lonely in a crowd, we need to consider that as God’s way of beckoning us to come and spend time with Him. He says we feel lonely in a crowd because we all need and yearn for a deeper relationship with our Creator.
The second explanation came from a writer from England. He says we feel lonely because we are designed to live in a different world than the one we are in. He says we long for God and for heaven’s perfection. For that reason, there is really nothing that can fully satisfy us here on earth. We can enjoy a measure of contentment but it will never last. We call that sense of longing “loneliness” because we fail to recognize its deeper significance. It is a reflection that God has “placed eternity in our hearts.”
The third explanation is much the same. It is from a college professor who says we should never try to cure our loneliness because it is our longing for God and for our eternal home. We simply need to learn to live with it and with the reality that this world is not permanent or perfect.
These three slightly different views have much in common. They agree that loneliness has more to do with wanting to be near God than it does with wanting to be close to people. If that is the case, then it is vital to do what some Christians call “practicing the presence of God.”
In my experience, that sense of being in the Lord’s presence is sometimes very vivid. During those times, it is of little concern whether or not people are around to keep me company. Yet there are times when the sense of His presence is heightened when His people are together. In either case, it seems to depend on my own relationship with God and attitude toward Him.
At other times, that sense of His nearness has faded. He seems absent. During those occasions, I have to remind myself of His promises. God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Just because it seems to me that He is not with me, He is. I cannot rely on my feelings.
It is possible to practice His presence though. By that, I mean we can heighten our sense of God being with us. To do that effectively, we need to do what Jesus did. He often retreated from His hectic life-work, and from people, to talk with His Father. “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Secondly, Jesus continually affirmed that God was with him. He said, “You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me . . . The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone . . . .”
We need to remember that He has not left us alone either.
Monday, March 6, 2017
A Perfect Place to Hide ................ Parables 558
June 10, 1997
Since January, residents of Bangladesh, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Madagascar have endured tropical cyclones. Madagascar was double-whammied by an invasion of locusts.
Floods made headlines in several places such as Winnipeg and the Midwestern States, also including China, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mozambique and Malawi. Also in the past five months, drought struck Ethiopia, Ecuador (also flooded) and Kenya. Earthquakes rocked Iran, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Iran and Peru. Because of these disasters, many people died.
Weather is not the only calamity that hits unexpectedly, taking or changing lives. Traffic accidents, cancer, heart disease also takes their toll. Consider Mark O’Brien. Struck by polio forty years ago, O’Brien lives in an iron lung. Without it, he would not survive, nor would the 118 others who call one of these contraptions home. Even at that, if there were a better place to find protection, all 119 would want it. For them, this machine is both a refuge and a prison.
Polio victims are not the only people who need a refuge. All of us experience difficulties that we cannot handle by ourselves. Sometimes we look for hiding places or shelter when we are in danger or when our world spins out of control.
When calamities happen, many look to God. The psalmist wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
The psalmist believed God was always ready to help him. Even if the world was falling apart, he knew that he could find a sense of security in the Lord.
Perhaps it was this psalm that prompted the winning entry for a painting depicting “peace.” The artist thought that a calm sea or a lazy meadow would not make the statement he wanted to make. Instead, he painted a severe storm with threatening waves of the sea crashing against a cliff. In the center, sheltered in the cleft of a rock, he placed a bird on her nest, calm and safe in the middle of the turmoil.
The Apostle Paul knew inner peace is possible in outward difficulties. He wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” He explains, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Paul knew God is in control. He also knew God uses all things to shape the character of His people, to help them become more like His Son. With that in mind, the tough things in life did not get him down or rob him of his hope. He was able to persevere through them.
When we put our faith in Christ, we too can know God as our refuge in the midst of life’s storms. His Spirit and His presence become a comfort, His truth a peaceful resting place.
Since January, residents of Bangladesh, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Madagascar have endured tropical cyclones. Madagascar was double-whammied by an invasion of locusts.
Floods made headlines in several places such as Winnipeg and the Midwestern States, also including China, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mozambique and Malawi. Also in the past five months, drought struck Ethiopia, Ecuador (also flooded) and Kenya. Earthquakes rocked Iran, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Iran and Peru. Because of these disasters, many people died.
Weather is not the only calamity that hits unexpectedly, taking or changing lives. Traffic accidents, cancer, heart disease also takes their toll. Consider Mark O’Brien. Struck by polio forty years ago, O’Brien lives in an iron lung. Without it, he would not survive, nor would the 118 others who call one of these contraptions home. Even at that, if there were a better place to find protection, all 119 would want it. For them, this machine is both a refuge and a prison.
Polio victims are not the only people who need a refuge. All of us experience difficulties that we cannot handle by ourselves. Sometimes we look for hiding places or shelter when we are in danger or when our world spins out of control.
When calamities happen, many look to God. The psalmist wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
The psalmist believed God was always ready to help him. Even if the world was falling apart, he knew that he could find a sense of security in the Lord.
Perhaps it was this psalm that prompted the winning entry for a painting depicting “peace.” The artist thought that a calm sea or a lazy meadow would not make the statement he wanted to make. Instead, he painted a severe storm with threatening waves of the sea crashing against a cliff. In the center, sheltered in the cleft of a rock, he placed a bird on her nest, calm and safe in the middle of the turmoil.
The Apostle Paul knew inner peace is possible in outward difficulties. He wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” He explains, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Paul knew God is in control. He also knew God uses all things to shape the character of His people, to help them become more like His Son. With that in mind, the tough things in life did not get him down or rob him of his hope. He was able to persevere through them.
When we put our faith in Christ, we too can know God as our refuge in the midst of life’s storms. His Spirit and His presence become a comfort, His truth a peaceful resting place.
Friday, March 3, 2017
As if rejection were not bad enough . . . ................ Parables 557
May 27, 1997
Book stores feature a novel that alleges to be the memoirs of Jesus. It is written in first person format, just as if Jesus Himself wrote it. However, author Norman Mailer debunks or diminishes most of the Bible stories about Him. Instead, he treats his own opinions as if they belong to the Lord and claims readers should look upon this book as a “small miracle” compared to the biblical miracles. He “hopes to remain closer to the truth . . . . “ than the Bible does.
In speaking for Jesus, Mailer says His death on the cross was a “debacle and disaster” and that Christianity was invented to disguise or cover up that failure. Remember, this is not a writer merely disagreeing with the Bible but a writer claiming his thoughts are God’s thoughts, then publishing them with the hope people will buy it.
What’s new? It sounds like the same old denial of Christ and His work, dressed up for profit in an genre no one ever used before now. Mailer simply fails to realize the impact of what God has said (through the prophet Isaiah): “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”?
We have no more idea what God thinks than we can accurately guess the thoughts of other people. Unless we are told, or in God’s case, unless He reveals them, His thoughts are largely beyond the scope of our senses. In fact, God’s thoughts are beyond even our imagination.
For instance, a young pastor preparing to relocate went to a certain city near Calgary was looking for rental property. He was surprised to find none, and even more shocked that housing was at Calgary prices he could not afford. We prayed that God would solve his seemingly unsolvable problem.
A few days later, he called to tell us that the church he is going to work with had been bidding on some property but had given up when a land developer also began bidding. They assumed the developer had more funds to work with. However, the church was awarded the bid. Included with the property, was a house, a place where he could live at a price he can afford.
No one thought of that as a possibility. We saw again how God answers prayer. It is always “exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.” No matter how great our imaginations, no one successfully second-guesses God.
As for Mailer, Jesus also said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” even if they claim they “prophesy in (His) name, and in (His) name drive out demons and perform many miracles.” He says, “I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!’”
The point is, if people are rejected by God because they did not know Christ, even though they use His name and do what appears to be godly deeds, what then will happen to a man who claims to speak for Christ yet blatantly denies that He is who He claimed to be? What happens when anyone denies the written revelation God gave to help us know and believe in Him?
Besides that, God has another way of giving people understanding into His thinking. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul, who had great faith, says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him—but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit . . . For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
Truth about God is revealed, not imagined. To grasp that revelation, we need the mind of Christ, given freely to those who trust in Him. But the revelation is withheld from anyone who “has not received His Spirit” because they have denied and rejected God’s Word.
Book stores feature a novel that alleges to be the memoirs of Jesus. It is written in first person format, just as if Jesus Himself wrote it. However, author Norman Mailer debunks or diminishes most of the Bible stories about Him. Instead, he treats his own opinions as if they belong to the Lord and claims readers should look upon this book as a “small miracle” compared to the biblical miracles. He “hopes to remain closer to the truth . . . . “ than the Bible does.
In speaking for Jesus, Mailer says His death on the cross was a “debacle and disaster” and that Christianity was invented to disguise or cover up that failure. Remember, this is not a writer merely disagreeing with the Bible but a writer claiming his thoughts are God’s thoughts, then publishing them with the hope people will buy it.
What’s new? It sounds like the same old denial of Christ and His work, dressed up for profit in an genre no one ever used before now. Mailer simply fails to realize the impact of what God has said (through the prophet Isaiah): “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”?
We have no more idea what God thinks than we can accurately guess the thoughts of other people. Unless we are told, or in God’s case, unless He reveals them, His thoughts are largely beyond the scope of our senses. In fact, God’s thoughts are beyond even our imagination.
For instance, a young pastor preparing to relocate went to a certain city near Calgary was looking for rental property. He was surprised to find none, and even more shocked that housing was at Calgary prices he could not afford. We prayed that God would solve his seemingly unsolvable problem.
A few days later, he called to tell us that the church he is going to work with had been bidding on some property but had given up when a land developer also began bidding. They assumed the developer had more funds to work with. However, the church was awarded the bid. Included with the property, was a house, a place where he could live at a price he can afford.
No one thought of that as a possibility. We saw again how God answers prayer. It is always “exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.” No matter how great our imaginations, no one successfully second-guesses God.
As for Mailer, Jesus also said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” even if they claim they “prophesy in (His) name, and in (His) name drive out demons and perform many miracles.” He says, “I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!’”
The point is, if people are rejected by God because they did not know Christ, even though they use His name and do what appears to be godly deeds, what then will happen to a man who claims to speak for Christ yet blatantly denies that He is who He claimed to be? What happens when anyone denies the written revelation God gave to help us know and believe in Him?
Besides that, God has another way of giving people understanding into His thinking. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul, who had great faith, says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him—but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit . . . For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
Truth about God is revealed, not imagined. To grasp that revelation, we need the mind of Christ, given freely to those who trust in Him. But the revelation is withheld from anyone who “has not received His Spirit” because they have denied and rejected God’s Word.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Faith is its own “proof” ................ Parables 556
May 13, 1997
What does it take to convince people to follow Christ? A Thailand missionary found out that a cloudburst can do it.
Lun Poobuanak, working among Buddhists and animists in Kalasin Province, was leading a small group during a Sunday service when the village leader interrupted him. “If you will ask your God for rain this month, all the 134 families in the village will worship your God and become Christians.”
Poobuanak realized their desperation. The monsoon rains had not come and their harvest was almost ruined. He also knew that God cannot be mocked or manipulated. However, these people insisted they were serious. They promised if they did not keep their word, “Poobuanak’s God” could judge them. Were they sincere?
The missionary gathered the few Christians in the village. They fasted and prayed for three days, trusting that God knows the human heart and would respond accordingly. On the fourth day, the heavens opened, flooding the canals and rice fields. Poobuanak reports that all 134 families humbly admitted that Jesus is the only true and living God and they became Christians. Others in the area are still following them into the faith because of this answer to prayer.
This incredible story from a missionary news service illustrates that God knows who is sincere and who is playing games. The Old Testament tells how the prophet Samuel was looking for God’s choice of a man to replace Saul as king of Israel. He was directed to the family of Jesse. As Jesse’s sons were brought to him, he thought the oldest must surely be the one. However, God said not, that “man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.”
God knew that Samuel’s first choice did not have a heart for Him. It was not until Samuel considered David that God gave him assurance that this young boy would be a great king— that is exactly what came to pass.
In my own prayer life, I know the same truth. I cannot play games with God. If I know the right thing to do and ask Him to give me some sort of assurance, He is silent. If I am genuinely ignorant or confused and ask for His leading, He gives it to me. He knows my heart.
The same applies to those who are seeking God. Some merely mock as they make phoney requests to God. They are thinking, “If God is up there, then I need proof . . . I have to see first, before I will believe.”
On the other hand, if a person is sincerely and genuinely seeking God, God knows that too. I remember reading a story of a young man who kept asking God to reveal Himself. For instance, He was hitchhiking and prayed, “God, if you are real, have the next car stop for me.”
This is not a normal pattern because God is not playing games with us. However, God knew the young man’s heart and played along. Finally, the man was convinced and gave His life to Christ. Then, he tried one more time “just to be sure” but God did not play along. Faith was present in this fellow’s heart and he no longer needed “proof.” As the Bible says, faith itself is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Faith is its own “proof.”
Sometimes it seems as if God is silent and not listening to my prayers or hearing my doubts. During those times, it helps me to remember that He knows what is going on in my heart. I have heard Him often in the past. He has faithfully revealed Himself to me already. I can look at Christ and do not need other visible evidence that He cares for me.
Nevertheless, for those who do need evidence, He sometimes grants other “proofs.” He wants sincere seekers to recognize that He alone understands the silent cries of the heart.
What does it take to convince people to follow Christ? A Thailand missionary found out that a cloudburst can do it.
Lun Poobuanak, working among Buddhists and animists in Kalasin Province, was leading a small group during a Sunday service when the village leader interrupted him. “If you will ask your God for rain this month, all the 134 families in the village will worship your God and become Christians.”
Poobuanak realized their desperation. The monsoon rains had not come and their harvest was almost ruined. He also knew that God cannot be mocked or manipulated. However, these people insisted they were serious. They promised if they did not keep their word, “Poobuanak’s God” could judge them. Were they sincere?
The missionary gathered the few Christians in the village. They fasted and prayed for three days, trusting that God knows the human heart and would respond accordingly. On the fourth day, the heavens opened, flooding the canals and rice fields. Poobuanak reports that all 134 families humbly admitted that Jesus is the only true and living God and they became Christians. Others in the area are still following them into the faith because of this answer to prayer.
This incredible story from a missionary news service illustrates that God knows who is sincere and who is playing games. The Old Testament tells how the prophet Samuel was looking for God’s choice of a man to replace Saul as king of Israel. He was directed to the family of Jesse. As Jesse’s sons were brought to him, he thought the oldest must surely be the one. However, God said not, that “man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.”
God knew that Samuel’s first choice did not have a heart for Him. It was not until Samuel considered David that God gave him assurance that this young boy would be a great king— that is exactly what came to pass.
In my own prayer life, I know the same truth. I cannot play games with God. If I know the right thing to do and ask Him to give me some sort of assurance, He is silent. If I am genuinely ignorant or confused and ask for His leading, He gives it to me. He knows my heart.
The same applies to those who are seeking God. Some merely mock as they make phoney requests to God. They are thinking, “If God is up there, then I need proof . . . I have to see first, before I will believe.”
On the other hand, if a person is sincerely and genuinely seeking God, God knows that too. I remember reading a story of a young man who kept asking God to reveal Himself. For instance, He was hitchhiking and prayed, “God, if you are real, have the next car stop for me.”
This is not a normal pattern because God is not playing games with us. However, God knew the young man’s heart and played along. Finally, the man was convinced and gave His life to Christ. Then, he tried one more time “just to be sure” but God did not play along. Faith was present in this fellow’s heart and he no longer needed “proof.” As the Bible says, faith itself is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Faith is its own “proof.”
Sometimes it seems as if God is silent and not listening to my prayers or hearing my doubts. During those times, it helps me to remember that He knows what is going on in my heart. I have heard Him often in the past. He has faithfully revealed Himself to me already. I can look at Christ and do not need other visible evidence that He cares for me.
Nevertheless, for those who do need evidence, He sometimes grants other “proofs.” He wants sincere seekers to recognize that He alone understands the silent cries of the heart.
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